We’ve laid a foundation in part 1 & 2 of this series for what the church looks like, but we would be remiss if we did not discuss the “why” behind church. Do we really need community? What is the point of the church? 

Growing up the church was a place that inspired unhealthy fear, but also provided intimate community as well. I remember feeling the need to constantly beat myself up for any mistakes and remind myself I was never good enough.

However, I was also reminded that there were other people who were with and for my family. There was the pastor & his family from another church who were consistent cheerleaders for my family and showed us God’s love.

I’ll never forget when someone gave us groceries when we needed them (and I still don’t know who that was). Watching my own family, I was reminded how every person - no matter how invaluable they appeared to the world - mattered in the Kingdom of God.

One of the purposes of the church is “to build up our most holy faith” together by learning from one another and utilizing our gifts in a safe environment.

“But you, beloved, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God as you await the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you eternal life.” Jude 1:20-21

We need each other and we’re created for community. God did not need humans - yet He chose to make us. He intended for us to value each other the way He values us. The Bible says, 

“Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.” - Hebrews 10:25

It also discusses how “Iron sharpens iron”. We can’t be sharpened if we aren’t in a community.

“As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” -Proverbs 27:17

Personally, the easy thing for me is to be alone. I’m used to being independent and pretty happy in my own little world writing. God continues to remind me that we were meant to live in family and community.

It can be hard if you’ve been constantly rejected or abused by those who claimed to love you and also claimed to love God. Jesus knows that feeling - He was even rejected and abandoned by disciples who claimed to love Him.

Yet, He chose to continue in the community. We are mandated as Christ followers to follow Him - so we must follow His example.

He created the church to be a place where we edify and build each other up. Ephesians 4 discusses the five-fold ministry.

“As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.This is why it says:

“When he ascended on high, he took many captives,  and gave gifts to his people.”

(What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions? He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.) So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.” 

Ephesians 4:1-15

We are not all gifted with one of the five callings, but what if you are? What if there is a group of people that is waiting on you to step up and be who God created you to be. In order to learn these gifts, you have to be a part of the community.

There may be an apostle, prophet, evangelist, shepherd, or teacher who is waiting on someone to raise up - the Timothy to their Paul. This is not a gifting everyone has, but there are people today that do have these callings and it is important that we recognize their value in our community and recognize our own callings.

Lastly, while the five-fold is important to the church, so is EVERYONE in the body of Christ. 1 Corinthians 12 discusses spiritual gifts. Every person can grow in the gifts God has given them. Did you know telling someone that you see a spiritual gift in them is actually a spiritual gift?

God also can give any spiritual gift to anyone according to His will at any time. Pray and seek to be used by God in your church. Read through 1 Corinthians 12 and find what gifts you already bring to a group of Christians. 

“Now about the gifts of the Spirit, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed. You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols.

Therefore I want you to know that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.

There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.

Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues.

All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines. Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ.

For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.

Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body.

If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be.

If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor.

And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other.

If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues.

Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? Now eagerly desire the greater gifts.”

1 Corinthians 12:1-31

You can check out this old Tirzah article to understand more about spiritual gifts. Follow this link if you’d like to take a quiz to see what your spiritual gift is.

Here’s the thing, ladies, we are ALL called to be a part of a body of believers. You will encounter different denominations and most likely change churches throughout your life. Wherever you end up, you bring your spiritual gifts with you. Pray about how God might want to use you in one of the five-fold gifts.

Pray about how God wants you to utilize your spiritual gifts. Stay tuned for next month - as we explore the history of the Anglican Church per one reader’s request.